“This uncle figure comes from having been around the block a few times,” he said, speaking with a journalist from the paper on a recent visit to Minsterworth Primary School in Gloucester.

The school is the 500th to join the EDF Energy National Schools Rugby Programme. Launched in January 2007, 50,000 children have already been introduced to the sport through the programme.

And Tindall’s ‘uncle figure’ persona may help explain how easy the Gloucester and England centre found fielding tough questions from a packed pupil assembly and joining in a coaching session with pupils.

“Being at Minsterworth, it’s not far from where we train at Gloucester. It’s good to see the youngsters that are up and coming,” he said.

“We’re not just creating the future players but we’re creating the future fans of the game. We’re getting people interested in rugby, and knowing more about the sport, so we get the players coming through but we also get the people who will come and watch each Saturday and support the game.”

With a crop of young talent at Gloucester, including the likes of Ryan Lamb, Antony Allen and Ollie Morgan, 29-year-old Tindall knows just how important it is to put in the groundwork to help produce the game’s future generations.

“We need to bring rugby to new audiences and to give children a taste of the game at an early age. Tag rugby is a brilliant way of getting kids into rugby and helping them get fit and healthy. When you provide quality coaching and the right equipment, and have teachers and children who are keen, then you stand a really good chance of laying solid foundations for the future of the sport.”

And as for any advice to those youngsters?

“My top tip for an aspiring sports star would be nothing technical, but make sure you are enjoying what you are doing. Nowadays, especially with elite sport and how intense it is, you can get caught up in that, and get too focused on the sport you are playing. You have got to have a balance where you enjoy your sport and what you are doing but also enjoy relaxing and getting away from it.”

The EDF Energy National Schools Rugby Programme is introducing 112,000 8-10 year olds to the sport through tag rugby by July 2009. Tag rugby is a non-contact version of the sport that teaches the skills necessary to go on and play rugby union. Every Guinness Premiership and two National League One sides Cornish Pirates and Exeter Chiefs are involved through coaching at schools.